Nichtkinder, Seelekinder
by Anthiena
Summary: Danny's life fifteen years after the meteor is shattered with the murder of his wife Sam, the attack on his seven year old daughter and the re-emergance of two enemies: Phantom and a seemingly reformed Vlad Masters-but is Vlad telling the truth?
1. Return

Nichtkinder, Seelekinder  
By: Anthiena  
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or any related characters/properties attaining thereto. This is a non-profit thing, so don't sue. I _do_ however lay claim to Madeline "Lina" Fenton, as she is MY creation.  
Special note: The title of this story, depending on what language you use, can mean "No-child, Soul-child" or "Night-child, Soul-child". Now as to what "child" the title refers to... this story shall have monthly updates, likely. It is coincidence that CW would be in danger: I started writing this before David Carradine died. RIP. Also: I will try to limit the notes to disclaimer and cannon notes only. A blue rose is impossible in the wild without dye. It is also said to be carried/caused by supernatural creatures, making it very appropriate. This story is meant to be derivative from fanworks-in particular, the short hair Vlad comes from Neo Yi. Any other explaination I leave to Vlad. Lina's appearence is supposed to be very ironic. Her former human appearence is actually inspired by anyrandomtuesday's pics of what he thinks two kids of Danny's might look like.

Canon notes: In "Bring Back My Body Back to Me," (which you can find on Nick's website) Danny is able to sense Vlad in ghost form. However, several instances exist where Danny is unable to sense Vlad in _human _form. (Bitter Reunions, for one) Also, there is another comic ("Brat's Entertainment") where Youngblood is stated to have been born within the Ghost Zone. Lunch Box likewise is stated to have ghosts for parents in the only episode she appears in. In the script for Bitter Reunions, Vlad is described as "aged extremely well." It may also be noted that "BOGUS!" was ad-libbing on Martin Mull's part.

**Chapter 1: Return**

The battle was fierce; the two twenty-something hybrids fought a ghost who had duplicated himself, who was also beating them savagely with ease. Danny had split himself as well, but it didn't help. Both the hybrids wore grim expressions as they tried to whittle down the ghost's strength-Danny and Danielle seemed to understand that they were outclassed, yet they still fought doggedly on. A solitary man watched from afar on the ground, wonder, disgust and yet also curiousity evident in his expression. He knew who the hybrids were, but not the eerily familiar ghost they fought.

He approached carefully though the urban wreckage, the three_ far _too busy to notice him; or so he hoped. He knew that Danny could sense ghosts and hoped that the ability had not yet evolved enough to sense another like himself in human form. None took notice him, thankfully. Lights and explosions were all around, making confusion of the sky and the warzone had touched everything in sight, just about.

He continued picking his way across the demolished street, only to find a woman barely hanging onto life and a girl child of extremely unusual description clinging to her. He drew closer to see them better. The woman's railing breaths among the other extensive injuries weeping blood made it quite plain that she was beyond help. "Danny... Lina... I can't hold on any longer... I'm so sorry..."

The silver-haired man was jolted when the woman grabbed his wrist. "Danny, I-" He eyes squeezed shut woth a grimace and her hands went to her throat as her burbling, strained breathing became choking sounds until finally, her chest rose no more.

Blood was everywhere, on Sam's body, the child (though none of it was the girl's), the ground... the child let go of the corpse and stood, sobbing softly, yet her face was oddly blank, likely from minor shock. Her hair seemed to be white, her eye color glowing red, her skin pale lavender-blue, her ears pointed, her open mouth revealing fangs. Her leaf-green dress stained red with blood and her mary jane shoes seemed incredulous to the man. She began wailing loudly, kneeling at the side of the woman's rapidly cooling corpse.

There was a muffled _thump_; the younger hybrid had been blown out of the sky, most probably reverting to human form once she hit the ground, leaving the two ghosts duking it out, likely to the death. The hybrid would not last long. He had a sick feeling as to what had happenedd to Sam and Lina Fenton and it had to do with that _thing_ that Danny fought.

The child intrigued him; had she been born like that? Or...? The girl had seemed to calm a little, enough to cease her keening. "Lina, right?" He spoke softly.

She finally looked from her mother to Vlad. "Who are you?"

"Just call me Uncle Vlad; what happened here?"

She was oddly calm, speaking in flat, distant tones. "The monster... he hurt my mom and he used light to hurt me, but something's... why do I look funny now?" Her voice began rising hysterically. "Why do I have sharp teeth? Why did my skin change? Why did he-he-" She ranted, a sob cutting off her words. He took the child into a comforting emrace, uncertain how to answer.

Very recently made a hybrid, then. Vlad saw Danny's duplicate fail and soon enough after, Danny himself hit the ground. Three duplicates, two invisible, went forth, one to check Danny, another to the clone (alive but unconscious, the both of them) and the last to intercept whoever-_what_ever-it was attacking Danny. "Well, it seems you do well for yourself; tell me, ghost, what has you bothering with those four?" His duplicate was in ghost form, sneering at the walking parody of Danny Phantom.

"Ah, you're supposed to be out in space. I've heard of down and out, but I hear you brought it to its complete opposite conclusion." The ghost craked smugly.

"Very clever, young man; the polite thing would be to allow you to finish, I suppose, but well, there _is_ a child present and you seem to have already have had your... _fun_... with that woman already." Plasmius wore a look of cold disgust.

The ghost leered. "I'll be able to have more soon, cheesehead."

The two began to scuffle in midair, Vlad absorbing the other two duplicates. The girl held onto the original, her flesh cold, with no perceivable breath or heartbeat; she was in ghost form, he reasoned and turned his focus on the remaining duplicate. The ghost was hideously strong, his appearence oddly familiar. A missed punch, pushing the phantasm out of arm's reach as the ghost fired a blast. Vlad snarled in pain and frustration. It was close quarter fighting, which rendered any shield he'd put up a futile waste of precious energy.

He lashed out a foot that connected to Phantom, which made the ghost grab the fortuitous leg and attempt to break it, in which, Vlad got free by striking with his other foot. The move was something he would pull, but the style and expression on his face brought an altogether different face to mind. "Don't I know you?" He asked the ghost bluntly.

The ghost grinned widely. "You always _were _more perceptive than I ever was when I had some human in me; but for me, that was a long time ago. Now? I'm making sure past me loses _everything_...and so will you, Plasmius." Vlad observed the ghost critically.

The outfit, the cocky expression, that was all Daniel... but the skin, the fangs and the ears were much like his own. Though his mind recoiled from the possiblity, he had to fight. "No stolen power is going to _kill_ me." Vlad snarled.

He began throwing punches and kicks methodically but quickly, attacking visciously in a way he hadn't had to in over a decade. The ghost responded in kind. Had Phantom been fresh, he would have been more than a match for Vlad, but he wasn't. Both were bloodied, winded, but Vlad had kept eye on two spots on the ground, his ace in the hole. Time was on his side; he only needed to stall until Daniel and Danielle recovered. The ghastly spook smiled smugly and began laughing. "You know _nothing_, Plasmius." He spat green blood. "You don't get it, do you? I don't _need_ to kill you or Danny today-the things you love and your precious vendetta are dead and Danny will always see me and his wife in his daughter's face!" He opened a gate and escaped through, cackling as Vlad swore darkly without using his usual style of euphenisms.

Plasmius floated down, not defeated, but neither was he triumphant and Vlad absorbed the duplicate with a grimace. Any pain and injuries and the memories of those injuries were muted, but not the knowledge of what he heard-or at least what he _thought _he heard. It was then that Danny finally put in an appearence, lighting over the ruins, landing and then walking slowly, disbelieving, like a man possessed to Sam's battered, broken form. What awful timing. "She's gone, Daniel. Her last words were to you." Vlad spoke tiredly, setting the girl down. The duplicate's injuries had taken a lot out of him. "Now you know."

Lina ran to her father, tears her tears renewed. Dani limped over to her cousin's side, exausted as well. "Why are _you_ here after all these years? Why now?" Came the clone's strained voice. "Where have you been?"

Vlad barely batted an eye. "In space, in the Ghost Zone; I wasn't welcome here. When I found out Maddie had died... it was chance that I was here. Now what _was_ that thing and how did that _creature_ do those things?"

Danny picked Lina up, holding her close, smoothing her hair. "He was going to be me five years ago-and you in a sense-but only if I had cheated on a test fifteen years ago. Sam..." Tears ran down the younger man's face unashamed.

It was ungodly hot the day of Sam's funeral and still, Lina's appearence had not changed. She seemed unnaturally quiet, dressed in a black velvet jumper, a red shirt, red tights and what seemed to be the same mary jane shoes as before. No paparazzi, thank goodness, were at the gravesite. Few were at the funeral. He parents, a now very tall Tucker Foley in a well-tailored suit, Danny likewise in a suit, but understandably looking like hell, Dr. Jasmine Fenton looking looking professionally impeccable though her mascara was running, Samantha's parents, Valerie in a pant suit staring in disbelief, Dani looking uncomfortable in a dress and then Vlad Masters himself. The grave marker was a fair-sized, almost plain affair with a Star of David and a short, but inspired epitet: _Samantha Manson-Fenton; daughter, friend, wife, mother, protector; Ever faithful, thou art remembered... _only twenty-eight years old.

Daniel left Lina with Jazz and walked over to another grave; Vlad followed. Danny kneeled and placed a blue rose on the gravestone, which was marked Fenton; Maddie and Jack's shared plot. "I've seen two other timelines, you know. The one where that monster came from and one where you married my mom. She wasn't happy and you knew it. _Both_ of you were miserable." Danny stated matter-of-factly. "It was all between you two, my dad never had a chance and it just wasn't enough for you. It had to be you or the ghosts and she chose the ghosts."

"What did that creature do, Daniel?" Vlad spoke tersely. "You never answered me."

Danny closed his eyes, taking a deep breath through his nose. "I wasn't there for most of it. From what I saw, he'd been... torturing her for _hours_, in front of Lina. When I got there, it was already too late. He had Lina and then he..." Danny put a hand on the stone, as if to steady himself, his face a mask of grief and horror. "Some things just aren't worth knowing."

Vlad looked a little pale and sickened. "That _thing_ beat you and Danielle without much effort. He will keep killing and you _knew_ that. Why not kill him before?"

"I got _lucky_ and got him into a Fenton Thermos." Danny explained, his voice thick with bitterness. "It turned out-well, you saw how _that_ turned out, didn't you. I can only imagine what happned to Clockwork."

Both men were solemn. "I'm pushing sixty, Daniel and I'm _still_ stronger than you. I personally would not allow a threat like that walk around alice. How in the world would you get that strong five years ago if you aren't now?"

"Because, as I said, it's not just me, it's you. Our ghost halves were merged. Your human half wouldn't say what happened to mine." Danny replied softly.

Danny stood up, brushing off his suit. Vlad was blunt. "I'll cut right to the chase, Daniel. What now? That thing is intent on ruining what's left of both our lives. I for one, am not particularly anxious to find out first hand what happens to a destroyed ghost." Vlad ran a hand absently through his hair.

Danny sighed. "I figured that. I don't have any ideas yet, but I will; I'm not exactly fourteen anymore, you know. I've been doing the hero thing for over fifteen years and started a family. At least... at least there's still a part of Sam in this world." Danny's voice trembled, but he controlled himself. Vlad wore an odd expression at Danny's last statement. "You know, it's amazing. Not much about you has changed since I was a teenager-except your hair."

Vlad's hair was shorter now. "I'm not one to hang onto my youth, Daniel. I've always aged extremely well."

Danny shook his head. "No, Vlad; it's more than that and you know it."

Vlad was silent. "Strange, isn't it." He mused finally.

"I think the same is happening to me. I don't look much different than I did at twenty. Dani's aged so far, but I worry now about Lina. I've seen Youngblood, he's never aged. I can't see him now, but Lina can."

"Do I even want to know?" Vlad had an eyebrow raised.

Danny considered. "Probably not." He conceeded. "Where are you staying?"

"My accomodations are adequate, I assure you." Vlad speak: _None of your business and now, I do_ not _need a place to sleep, thank you very much_.

Danny harrumphed. "Figures."

* * *

Lina sat in her mother's rocking chair, gripping her favorite little animal plushie tightly. She had her eyes squeezed shut, her mouth moving silently, dark color like a smoky shadow moveing up from the ends of her hair unevenly. "What 'cha doing, Lindy?" A familiar face peeped through the wall: Youngblood.

"I'm not doing anything!" Lina startled, but smiled at the ghost.

Lunch Box phased in after him, catching sight of Lina. "Wow, you're a ghost! Now we can play as long as we want!"

Both ghosts were amazed. "Golly, you won't grow up, now!" Youngblood claimed happily.

"Nuh-uh, some of us grow up! I'm gonna grow up big and strong like mama and papa." Lunch Box stated proudly.

"What should we do today?" Lina asked.

"Ooh, I know, I know! Let's mess up Skulker's traps!" Youngblood grinned.

"Nah, we did that last week." Lina shrugged. "How about taking Ghost Writer's quills?"

"Boring. We can pull Sphinx's fur!" Lunch Box suggested.

"That ghost's _fast_... but she's at Walker's..."

"The Jail!" All three chimed to Lina's last words.

They were laughing, chasing each other, Lina skipping, Youngblood floating with his metal companion and Lunch Box flying up to the Fenton Portal 2.0, which Danny and Tucker had built. Lina got a boost from Youngblood. "Can't _you_ fly now?" He complained.

"I don't know how." Lina pointed out as she put her hand on the scanner. "I've only been a ghost for a day. I look funny."

"You do not." Lunch Box argued. "You look _pretty_."

"Do you think we'll see Technus at the jail?"

"He's such a dweeb..." The went through the portal, chattering.

* * *

Danny startled awake and looked around from the couch. He'd just sensed a ghost... hadn't he? He got up and went around Fenton Works, checking on the house and looking for Lina. He went downstairs and checked one of the computers, bringing up a program. No unknown entities, just Lina, Youngblood, Youngblood's companion and Lunch Box. He'd alread gotten in Lina's signature.

Not much bad had ever happened to Youngblood. The fact however, that he had not seen Youngblood in that averted timeline gave him pause, but that was in a sense what the monster wanted. It was impossible to tell with that one, he was _insane_.

Danny would not let himself be intimidated or haunted by Lina's new appearence. A new signature popped up, but oddly, his ghost signature did not go off. He floated up, phasing through the floor, into the kitchen when he heard the doorbell buzz. He knew exactly who it was. He walked to and opened the front door. "Vlad." He spoke simply, stepping aside, allowing the elder hybrid through.

"Where's that daughter of yours?" The man questioned casually.

"In the Ghost Zone, probably pulling pranks with Youngblood and Lunch Boxx. None of the other ghosts bother them, not even Spectra." He didn't add that he had personally promised to Spectra and Bertrand to put them in a thermos and _never_ let them out if they even _approached_ his daughter. So far, both of them had believed him.

Vlad gave him an appalled look. "You would let her go into the Ghost Zone alone?" He balked.

"She's not; Youngblood and Box Lunch are such pests that most ghosts avoid them. Besides..." Danny's expression grew dark. "-if he wanted to, he could have killed her already. He can create his own portals, remember?" Left unsaid: ..._and I can't stop him from doing it._

Vlad made an uncomfortable noncommital sound. "Has she gone human, yet?"

"No, not yet. I don't think she has a human side anymore or that she ever will again. Trying to remove her powers now would probably kill her." Danny sounded sad.

"Intriguing..." Vlad spoke in wonder, but caught himself and Danny's angry expression. "-if unfortunate. Did she have powers before?"

Danny's frown grew, irritated. "Vlad, she's just a kid-_my_ kid-not an experiment, but yes, she could go invisible and intangible. She was even born with green eyes if you must know." He spoke dryly.

Vlad sat on Danny's couch, leaning forward, elbows on knees, staring at his hands, contemplative. "I was and am still a man of science if you can believe that. Being truely and utterly alone all that time made me realize what a fool I'd been. I was very nearly the death of us all and nearly died in space myself. Maybe I'm... too late to make it right, but perhaps I could use a second chance-if you could find it in yourself."

Danny's face was hard, but not angry, not quite, his eyes distant, as if remembering something. "You did a lot of things... to my dad; Valerie; Danielle; my _mom_; me... but you saved me, Dani and Lina, too. It can't erase the past, nothing _can_."

"I see." Vlad's expression went stony.

Danny's demeanor eased. "-but it's a beginning I'm happy to see."

* * *

"_The Warden won't like that you helped me escape again._" The large Wulf told her in Esperanto.

"_He didn't even notice me with Youngblood and Lunch Box starting a big fight; he can't do anything if he doesn't know who let you out._" She replied in the same language. Good old Uncle Tuck.

They floated to a place past the large Fenton Portal and Wulf ripped open a portal, only to find Danny and Vlad in ghost form, ready to attack. "_Amiko_?" Wulf looked surprised and nervous as Vlad stared at Lina.

"I helped Youngblood and Lunch Box get Wulf out of jail." She grinned rakishly.

"How did you change your hair?" Danny stared at her now as well.

There was a jagged swath of white hair through black on her head-like while Danny lost his powers, in fact. "I just did. I have white hair like mom." She pouted, looking very sure of herself. "I can't get it _only_ black, but I like this."

She looked more like Plasmius than that monster ever did. She had Sam's strong personality, to be sure. "That... really something, Lina." Danny hesitated.

"Until later, _amikoj_." Wulf tore open a gate, stepping through, Lina waving good-bye cheekily.

Lina turned and noticed the two tense men. "I remember you; you're Uncle Vlad." A look of concentration passed as she floated to Danny's eye level and then grinned. "I can finally fly!" She fell down a foot and then landed herself, smiling wanly. "Oops. I'm not very good at this yet."

"I'm very proud of you, Lina. Can you play with one of the games in your room for a while?"

"Sure, dad." She chirped.

Vlad's expression as she walked to her room was of a thousand conflicting emotions. "She looks like _me_ in ghost form..."

"I know." Danny sighed. "I know."


	2. The Doll

Nichtkinder, Seelekinder  
By: Anthiena  
Disclaimer: DO NOT OWN.  
Chapter Note: Originally, there was a bit with Youngblood and Lunch Box here, but I decided to move that to a later chapter. Why this chapter was delayed is simply and starkly said: I was... _attacked_. I'm okay, but I was really shaken. The guy's going to be tried in December. So, here it is, fast as I can type it. Here, I show Vlad at his most typical, I think-devious and inethical. He'll get his personality more fleshed out, but right now, both Danny and Vlad are being very careful around one another. I really appreciate reviews! The beginning is an echo of Dark Side of the Moon-another dark Danny Phantom story. I actually have a cousin named Trelawney, who is practical, versus Prof. Trelawney of Harry Potter fame. The other reason for the delay is that I had to rewrite almost the whole freaking chapter after losing a notebook. However, I do believe some parts benefitted from this. The Russian phrase says "I would spit on it if I saw it." Apparently, Russian has no gender-specific pronouns; I used an online translater that was able to spit back out the same phrase after four translations to and from Russian.  
Canon Note: Lillith is what Sam named her flour baby, hence that's the doll that stands in for Lina.

Chapter 2: The Doll

"You!" Jazz blurted, looking surprised. She was dressed stylish yet informally, in unassuming but well-tailored clothes, her hair pulled back, carrying a kind of briefcase that hung from a shoulder. She stared at Vlad, who regarded her cooly.

"Jazz, now's not the time; you wanted to talk to Lina, remember?" Danny spoke pointedly.

They walked, Danny leading her into the kitchen. "Right, how's her mood?" The siblings sat at the familiar dinner table.

"Much better after playing with Youngblood and Lunch Box. She's even talking more and she discovered that she can fly now."

Jazz nodded with a smile. "You mean pulling pranks, but good. Kids are pretty resiliant. How's she feeling about herself?"

"It's hard to tell, but she seems happier now that she has mostly black hair again." Danny replied. "She did it herself somehow."

She sighed with a sad frown. "I almost wish I didn't have to do this, but the police want a report quickly and I already have rapport with her. I'll spread out three sessions over the week, but tomorrow, it'll be _your_ turn, Danny."

"Jazz..." Danny protested uncomfortably.

Her expression was dead serious but not patronizing. "You just lost your friend, your _wife_, Danny. We both know how you get when you grieve, don't we."

"Yeah." Danny said softly. "I do."

"Stay out of sight and you can watch." Jazz got up, walking into the living room and up the stairs, ignoring Vlad completely, a now invisible Danny behind her. Vlad looked away, feigning disinterest.

* * *

Danny kept himself invisible, though he never could explain later how he kept his temper. It could have been any other day where Jazz came by and visited with Lina; although the play was quieter and more subdued, it was-for the first fifteen minutes. Jazz then took out a number of doll and though they were nice, they were specially made for a purposeful kind of play: they helped a child tell a story, a true story.

At first, Jazz had her playing with three dolls that Lina immediately christened _Mommy_, _Daddy_ and _Lillith_. Nothing was off about the way she played with them until Jazz took out a fourth doll and set aside her case. "Okay, Lina. We're going to-" Her voice cracked, but she started again. "We're going to do something with the dolls. I need you to tell me a story with Mommy, Lillith and the Ghost dolls."

"He looks like the ghost that chased off the monster." Lina observed. Actually, it _did_ sort of look like Plasmius a little, what with the black hair and red eyes.

"Let's pretend it's the monster." Jazz took a slightly different tack. Ghosts were not monsters to _this_ child.

Lina picked up two of the dolls and pantomimed the Mommy and Lillith dolls walking together. _"I think I finally got through to her!" Sam laughed as she walked through the downtown area, holding onto Lina's hand._

_"I miss my jumper..." Lina muttered, looking down at her red-toned dress._

_"You can put it back on when we get home, okay? It makes Grandma happy." Sam stopped and stared at a ghost leaning against a building. Lina was used to ghosts, but this one... he seemed _wrong _somehow and familiar. "You-you don't exist anymore. You never happened."_

_Sam let go of Lina's hand and took a horrified step backwards. "Mommy...?" Lina asked._

_"I can thank Clockwork's little medallions for that one. Strange how you forgot about those, huh?" He looked bitter, but he seemed incredibly calm. He grabbed Sam and dragged her into an alley, Lina following._

_"Don't touch me!" Sam tried wrenching her arm out of his grip, but to no avail._

_"I'll be doing a lot of that, not to worry." He chuckled, but there was no mirth in it._

_Lina went invisible and ran, only to hit a solid wall of muscle. The duplicate grabbed her before she could go intangible. She shrieked in terror. His red eyes. Flaming hair. Pointed ears, fangs and oddly familiar face scared her. He held her even as she kicked at him, missing. "Don't hurt her, please!" Sam screamed._

_"I won't kill her, if that makes you feel any better. You might not be so lucky." He spoke coldly._

_There was a lot of screaming after that._

Lina put down the dolls, tears in her eyes. "I don't want to play anymore." She said simply.

* * *

Danny's hands were shaking in rage when he came down while Jazz comforted Lina. He stopped halfway down the stairs and forced himself to calm down. The anger wouldn't bring Sam back, nor would it help Lina. He went downstairs and was surprised to see Vlad still there. The man was an enigma to him; for all the times they'd contended, Danny did not know much about the man's past beyond a few publicized points. _I'm not a villain; all I'd ever wanted was love!_ Hadn't he said that once? As he was rejecting the one person that loved him, in fact? Ironic.

He was silent until Jazz came down. "She's laying down. I'll see you tomorrow, I have appointments I have to get to, okay?"

"Okay, thanks for the warning." He smiled weakly as she left.

"...Daniel, what can we say to each other after so long?" Vlad put bluntly.

"I honestly don't know. Small talk was never our thing, was it? I can't fight that thing by myself, that's for sure. I still can hardly believe that you're even here. I never thought I'd see you again after that meteor. How long would it be before you fell asleep in ghost form? How long would your oxygen hold out? I didn't really know and I didn't like to think about it."

Vlad made an awful smiling expression. "I was out there for three weeks, I think. The only reason I survived was I floated into a portal before I blacked out. Very lucky for me, it was-I was hallucinating by that time." Vlad veered the conversation to other grounds. "We need to bring the fight to that creature and be prepared this time. He is stronger than any of us, but not all of us. I need to get to my labs-labs that perhaps have not been uncovered."

Danny thought a moment, his eyes narrow, left hand on his chin. "There were three labs uncovered by the Idiots in White. He might have presense of mind to find others built before November fifteen years ago and either raid them or destroy them. _Are_ there even others?"

Vlad smirked. "Oh yes. All I require is a computer with internet access."

* * *

Vlad made arrangements through a number of phone calls on a "disposable" cell phone with coded messages, berating sessions, threats overt and subtle, blackmailing and coaxing with the occasional bribe that made Danny wonder if Vlad still had his riches. All the wheeling and dealing gave Danny a new appreciation for Vlad's own cleverness and things to consider.

"I know what you're thinking; no." Vlad interrupted his thoughts.

Danny was startled. "Wait, what?" He stammered. "What do you mean?"

"I can see it in your face, Daniel. They'll find money if they're lucky, but various authorities have most, if not all of my accounts under surveillance so it's not wise to try to use them, even the escrow accounts in Sweden and the Netherlands. It they're lucky, they'll find money, if they're not, the FBI, Interpol, Scotland Yard or some other authority will be knocking out their front doors. I'm actually surprised so many of my contacts are good, so to speak." Vlad shrugged.

"That's pretty cold." Danny observed.

Vlad gave Danny a lopsided, knowing smile, his eyebrows raised. "Just as I knew long ago, many of the ones I dealt with know the risks of being involved in extralegal affairs. I made mistakes and I paid for them. I can never be known publically as Vlad Masters ever again; VladCo, Axiom, Dalv and my other businesses and known assets were seized, broken up and sold off to the highest bidder or frozen and watched by the authorities for activity, as if I'd be stupid enough to touch them. Those same authorities would love to see me captured and imprisoned or dead if they knew I was still alive. My life as I knew it and any hope for a near-normal life ended utterly with that meteor. I think that with that creature around, some inethical tactics can be allowed to save our skins and those of your friends and family, Little Badger."

Danny hadn't heard that nickname in years and he considered Vlad's words. "I can't condone it, but I can't condemn it, either. I can't deny help. Not for Lina's sake or for Jazz and Tucker. They don't need to suffer for my choices like Sam did or the way Lina does."

Vlad sat up straighter. "The best thing for it would be for you friend and sister to hide, preferably under a ghost shield."

"They won't, they'd refuse. Besides, both he and I can break down ghost shields with the wail." Danny unconciously touched his throat. "-but I do have a friend who can protect them."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "There's a ghost powerful enough to do that?" Danny nodded. "Who?"

"She's... a little unusual. Most ghosts either hate or admire her because of Pariah. I figure she helped seal him away." He pulled a flip phone out. "I should have done this earlier." He muttered as he dialed.

"Yes, but who is she?" Vlad demanded impatiently.

Danny only smiled. "Oh, hello Trelawney. I have really bad news. Yeah, the press were given the wrong time on purpose. No, that was the wrong information, too. She was murdered, Trel and something happened to Lina. I wish I could explain, but I can't. You need to get Sophie here, now. I understand, but this affects her, too. I need the Mistress of Emotions. Thanks, Trelawney." Danny hung up.

"Psyche. You just called for the ghost that created the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage? No wonder... I'd heard she'd _died_ in the sealing." Vlad was astonished.

"How do _you_ know that?" Danny looked surprised.

"I did-and _do_ have the one who stole them under my employ." Vlad reminded him as his ghost sense went off. "Fright Knight knew her quite well a long time ago."

"Ah yes, I recall that one well. He has come looking for me from time to time, but I always avoid him. He broke my heart, you know. That's not something I took lightly then." Came a dry voice.

Vlad stood and Danny turned around to see a young woman that didn't look much older than fourteen. She had firey-purple hair, pale skin and green eyes. She was pretty, but not beautiful. Her features were Grecian and she wore a robe embroidered with bright, simple, geometrical designs along the hood and sleeves. "Hey, Sophia. You can take your human form here, if you want."

She regarded them both and her expression lightened. "It must be trouble, you didn't even yell at me for not using the doorbell." She cracked. "Now explain what happened to Lina and why you called me." She glowed and a woman in her mid-fourties now stood, her skin now a tanned olive tone and her hair an ordinary brown-black that had white strands growing from her temple. She wore a matching lavender pencil skirt and suit jacket, tan hose and black heels.

"Sophia Polydeux; no wonder you never met me alone." Vlad observed.

She nodded. "Even if I couldn't read your emotions from across the room, I am a very cautious woman. Now Danny, explain please."

"We're not entirely sure about a few details, but here's the sitch..." Danny related the events to her.

Sophia's face remained neutral. "Huh. No wonder so many of my contacts have gone silent. I'll keep an eye on Tucker, but Jazz and her boyfriend are perfectly capable of protecting themselves. Ah, the little Madeline comes down the stairs." She smiled and turned around as Lina came to her. "I hear you pulled a prank on Walker, that creature. _Я плевал бы на него, если бы я видел его_."

"You would?" Lina asked as Vlad chuckled. "Why?"

"Ah... I didn't know Lina spoke Russian." Sophia looked sheepish.

"She doesn't." Danny looked confused. "...but Vlad does... so should that creep."

Sophia went immediately pale. "That ghost _Marked_ her! I... I can't help Lina. Nobody can. I'm sorry, Danny. I wouldn't have thought a ghost would do that to one so young and weak..."

"What do you mean?" Danny looked angry now.

"He can take control of her any time he pleases, like a- like a-"

"Doll?" Lina asked, looking frightened. "I'm a doll?"

"More like Walker's guards... but yes. I'll keep an eye on Tucker and Jazz, but do not contact me again until this is over, Danny." Sophia disappeared in the flash of teleportation.

Danny sighed as Vlad spoke. "I'll return once I hear back about my labs, Daniel. If I don't contact you within three days, assume I got either arrested or killed." Vlad went out the door, walking at a brisk pace.

Danny fell on the couch to a sitting position. Lina climbed onto his lap, laying down. He was sure that she'd finally fell asleep when he finally spoke to himself. "What are we going to do now?" He smiled bitterly and broke down into quiet sobbing.


End file.
